Forever and a day
by V.9.5
Summary: It's an AU. Dan has been captured by KORPS, but the Mastermind is reluctant to kill him, and shows her true colours a little too late.


**I just rewatched the last episode of MI HIGH series 7: The Last Stand (hopefully it isn't- I want a series 8) and I've noticed that when Keri is fighting Dan (or it may be my DERI imagination) after she's the Mastermind, she looks a bit reluctant to. Either way, this came. **

**It's an AU right after the HEART blows up. Keri is not back in her body, and the Mastermind wakes up before Tom and takes Dan...It's meant to be a one shot.**

Dan had grown accustomed to this.

He was blindfolded every time he came into the building. He was blindfolded every time he came out of the building. He always had his hands tied. There was always one robot guard either side of him when he was out of his cell. When he was in his cell, he was allowed some privacy, but there were always 5 guards outside his cell. Well, it was called Room 57, but he lived in a prison.

Why though, he didn't know.

As far as he knew, KORPS didn't take prisoners. They killed anyone not on their side. So why him? Why was he special? What set him apart from the rest? He had wondered this from his very waking moments until he dropped off to sleep. He wouldn't have, but it was to stop himself from going crazy. There was little human contact, and as Dan had always been surrounded by friends, family and even enemies, he felt extremely lonely. It had been like this for an entire year.

Then there was the Mastermind.

That was the little human contact he had-and he wasn't even sure it was human. She- he- it- would come in every day, and try to convince him to join KORPS. He always refused; he retained hope that his friends were coming to save him. It would tell him, "They're not coming! Just join us, and you can have power." What it didn't understand was he wanted his family and friends, not power. So he refused. He had refused for an entire year, and miraculously, he was still alive.

* * *

><p>He hadn't seen sunlight for a year and a day.<p>

That was the thought that passed through his mind as he sat on a little windowsill. It wasn't a windowsill, it was just a dip in the wall for all his stuff so it didn't get in his way. But he could pretend. But sunlight and sound and people... His memories were fading fast. He gazed at the blank wall beside him and strained himself to remember the sound of the birds, the laughter of young children playing around, the sun shining down on him from his bedroom window. And suddenly his little sister would burst in, barely 4 years old, and jump up onto the windowsill with him. Her golden curls would bob up and down, framing her rosy-cheeked face. She had eyes just like him.

Of all the people Dan remembered most, it was his sister. She would giggle and smile at him, and start asking him questions about his spy life. Dan had told no one about it except her, and every night would he recount his adventures to her. She would hide under the covers at a scary or critical bit, and cheer whenever they saved the day. Of course their parents didn't believe them; Dan had told her it was their little secret. "You'll be a spy too, and have cool gadgetry and work with amazing people," Dan would tell her, "But for now, you can play with mine." And he'd give her his spy pod so she could play Animal Farm on it.

Dan smiled. His face muscles groaned with disuse, however he didn't care. The thought of his sister could cheer him up any day. He could almost touch her, imagine her scrambling into his arms, so they could play Red Car Yellow Car together...

"What are you thinking?"

Dan fell off the windowsill, but it wasn't a windowsill anymore and he wasn't in his room. It was just a bare room with a dip in the wall. He looked up to see the Mastermind.

"What are you thinking?" it repeated. Dan didn't answer. He got up back up onto the dip.

* * *

><p>The Mastermind regarded Dan, head tilted to the side. She'd never seen anyone look so happy here. He hadn't noticed her presence. He was tracing patterns on the side of the dip with his finger. His gaze slid to the opposite end of the dip, where he'd moved his feet enough for a young child to sit there. His smile grew wider.<p>

"What are you thinking?" she asked, genuinely curious. She watched as he snapped out of his daydream and fell off, getting back up almost immediately on the dip. By then, she had repeated the question and he still hadn't answered.

"It's rude to ignore a lady you know," she said.

"Well," he replied, "I think the lady bit is questionable."

The Mastermind felt the new Crime Minister go tense. She continued, "I was only wondering what you were thinking."

"I was wondering why I'm still alive."

"Liar."

"You asked what I was thinking."

"Do you want to die?"

He paused at that. Then, he said, "No. I guess not."

The Mastermind turned to her companions. "Leave. I wish to talk to him alone."

"Mastermind, I really think-"

"GO. Now." Her tone brooked no argument. They left silently, the Crime Minister after some hesitation.

"My sister."

She was slightly thrown. "What?"

He turned to face her. "I was thinking about my sister. God! She was absolutely..." he struggled to find a word, "Wonderful."

She went and sat next to him. "You can see her again Dan. Just join us. We'll bring her here," she pleaded. Her companions were insisting that he die or become one of them. Soon enough, they would arrange an accident, and there would be no proof they'd done anything at all.

"No.. I told her I was the good guy." He directed his glare at her. "And I'm staying the good guy."

She placed her hand on his knee. "Dan," she began, "If you won't join KORPS, then I'll have to kill you."

"Do it then."

Her hand moved to his shoulder. "Dan please..." She ran her hand slowly down his arm, feeling every muscle, every inch of smooth skin against her soft hands. Her breath caught in her throat, and his breath hitched too. This was the first time they'd touched since the change, and damn, it felt... good.

"When did you get so muscly?" she asked.

"I've had time to work out," he said quietly, as she finally reached his hand, and took it in hers. Their fingers touched, and it was electric. There was silence between them, because nothing more was to be said.

* * *

><p>Dan couldn't understand. He wasn't attracted to her. He couldn't be. She was a criminal.<p>

_A criminal with soft hands, _his traitorous mind thought as her fingers rubbed against his. Suddenly he was being pulled to his feet, and led away, outside of the cell. The robots made to move, but she waved them away and carried on leading him away. He could have run, right there and then. He knew the exits well enough, and he was pretty sure he could take her, but he was curious as to where he was going. So he didn't.

They stopped in a corridor. It wasn't a special corridor, there wasn't anything about it that was different. So he asked her why they'd stopped.

"There aren't any cameras," she said, and just like that he was against the wall, while she kissed him over and over again, her long eyelashes touching his face each time their lips met.

It had been a long time since Dan had had any type of physical contact, so he kissed her back, hands going to her waist, hers on his face, passion coming and going between them.

After about a minute, she pulled away, laying her head against his chest. "I'd better get back," she whispered. "Before something-"

They fell when the ground shook. The Mastermind gasped and sat up. "What-" She jumped up and ran, leaving Dan in the corridor.

Passion forgotten, Dan saw his chance to escape.

He scrambled to his feet and ran down the corridor they had entered. He stopped when he saw a huge hole in the wall, seeing his chance to escape. But what would it be like? Would they even accept him again? What if it wasn't them at all?

"Dan?" a familiar voice said. Dan turned around, looking straight into the eyes of-

* * *

><p>"Dan!" Stella cried, overcome with joy. She had been operating the mission from the van, but had come out when she saw a figure. Creeping out, she had been ready to throw herself at the stranger, but something about that blonde hair had stopped her and when she realised who it was, she hugged him, tears pouring down her face.<p>

"St-stella?" stammered the shocked boy. Stella took a step back and looked at Dan properly.

He was dressed in standard issue prisoner clothing, which was bright orange. His skin was paler than usual, and his hair was a bit longer too. There were also changes in his physique-he had become a lot more buff during his imprisonment in KORPS.

"I thought you were dead..." Stella said quietly, still crying. Dan opened his mouth to reply, when the ground shook again and screams were heard from above. She looked up. "I think they could use some help. Still remember your training?"

Dan grinned. "Let's go kick some butt."

The two of them ran to the second floor and kicked the door down.

* * *

><p>Up above, Tom, Aneisha, Zoe and Frank were fighting hard. They were accompanied by several other agents, but were out numbered by two. They were fighting a losing battle.<p>

A crash at the door made them all look up and gasp. Next to Stella was Dan!

"DAN!" they all cried joyously. The boy grinned at them and sent a KORPS agent flying with just his foot. "Woah!"

"Something I learnt off the KORPS ninnies while I was here," he smirked. "Frank watch out!"

Frank yelped and ducked as a punch came flying at him. The fallen MI9 agents jumped up with new heart- now KORPS were outnumbered by four. They whirled, kicked, punched, and knocked out their way to glory.

"RETREAT!" screamed the Mastermind, casting one last glance at MI9, her gaze lingering on Dan. Dan too, looked at her for about half a second before turning away. They were both thinking about the same thing: The corridor scene.

The Mastermind whipped around and she was gone.

Cheers went up through the base. Tom, Aneisha, Zoe and Frank all rushed to greet Dan.

"We thought you were dead!" Aneisha exclaimed, hugging Dan. He gave her a squeeze.

"You're amazing!" howled Tom, who was hugging his legs, sobbing uncontrollably. The others laughed and Dan pulled his crying best friend up, putting him in a friendly headlock.

"It's good- ah screw this, Dan I've missed you!" yelled Frank, clapping the young man on the back.

"Wow..." Zoe whistled as she gave her boyfriend the eye. "You got fit... well, fitter."

Dan grinned at her, face muscles nearly used to smiling. He pulled her into a kiss, pushing away the accusing thoughts that told him her lips were nowhere near as soft as the Mastermind's. She was here and that was all that mattered.

* * *

><p>They walked to the hole in the wall, where agents were now swarming in. Dan paused in the shadows. The others noticed and stopped too.<p>

"Dan? What's wrong?" Aneisha asked.

"Nothing, it's just... This is the first time I'll be out in the sunlight for a year and a day now."

"They didn't let you out?" Stella asked. Then she scowled. "Well, we can add that to the list of 'Crimes against humanity'..."

"Dan." It was Tom. "Let's go, man."

"We'll be here very step of the way," Frank added.

So with a deep breath, Dan stepped outside.

The light was blinding- he screwed his eyes up against it. However he could feel the warmth against his skin, and the gentle breeze blowing it away when it got too hot. He heard the sounds of laughter coming from his friends as they led him back to where he belonged. His girlfriend slipped her hand into his, and they all walked out, back towards their lives.

"I suppose it's coincidence," Zoe said softly to Dan. "You waited a year and a day. And the saying is-"

"Forever and a day," Dan replied, squeezing her hand. "Zoe, to be honest... It felt like it."

"Forever and a day. That's how long we'll be together," she whispered.

And they were.


End file.
